Online ballot system helps voters

Oct. 18, 2012 at 5:18 a.m.Updated Oct. 19, 2012 at 5:19 a.m.

Victoria County's new online service is helping voters make informed Election Day decisions.

While the service does not provide background research about candidates, the online voter guide does allow users to see what exactly is on their ballot on Election Day. Early voting opens Monday at the election office, 111 N. Glass St.

"It is important that we provide access to all voters and this goes beyond the ballot," said George Matthews, Victoria County's Election Administrator, in a news release.

Victoria County acquired the technology using a grant from the Help America Vote Act.

LiveBallot will be available to all Victoria County voters through Nov. 6 and will be available approximately 30 days before future elections in Victoria County.

LiveBallot was developed by Democracy Live, in partnership with the Center for Technology & Disabilities Studies at the University of Washington.

The system has been used in more than 300 live elections and, in a recent election in Washington state, 88 percent of participating voters said LiveBallot made voting more accessible and 50 percent of those voters said they would not have voted if LiveBallot had not been available.

"It provides a valuable resource on voter information for all citizens, including those with disabilities who often lack access to this critical information about candidates and issues," said Deborah Cook, the Director of Washington state's Assistive Technology Program, in a news release.